Fairytale filly Yankee Rose wins Sires’
A $10,000 filly, a group of first-time owners from all walks of life and a trainer who turned his life around from the brink.
Now add a Group One triumph to the Yankee Rose story.
The remarkable filly added to the fairytale script by winning the Group One Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
It took her career prize money to more than $1.5 million from four starts, with her CV also boasting second in the Golden Slipper behind Capitalist.
James Porter, one of 18 people in the filly’s ownership, said it was the first time he had seen Yankee Rose live.
“My heart is still beating a million miles an hour,” Porter said.
“I’m speechless mate.”
Porter has just left his job in the insurance industry to train and rear greyhounds, but concedes he will never experience anything like the win in any form of racing.
Other owners include construction workers, retirees and receptionists.
Victory in the Sires’ completed a remarkable comeback for trainer David Vandyke, who has survived heroin addiction and a suicide attempt to train his first Group One winner.
“It’s through a power greater than myself that I’ve gotten here today,” Vandyke said.
“I feel that power all the time and I turn to it often.”
Vandyke said Yankee Rose had showed her champion qualities in the Golden Rose “I’m still numb,” Vandyke said.
“I can’t believe I’ve actually won a Group One.
“To win one at Randwick – I started working here when I was a teenager and this track means so much to me.”
Godolphin colt Telperion was no match for Yankee Rose on Saturday in finishing with another filly, Faraway Town, taking the minor placing.
Yankee Rose will now tackle the Champagne Stakes in two weeks.
Syndicator Scott Darby said everyone in the ownership of the bargain-buy filly is enjoying the remarkable ride.
“Call it a fluke maybe but she’s just a beautiful filly. She’s sensational,” Darby said.